In recent years, Latin America has seen a rising number of female presidents, signaling significant strides in gender equality across the continent. However, this movement began long before women reached the highest offices. Want a proof? Look no further than Manuela Sáenz, an Ecuadorian revolutionary who fought alongside Simón Bolívar for liberation from colonial rule. Her face, along with those of other trailblazing women, now adorns a hard to miss mural at a bustling interchange in Quito, a tribute to their enduring contributions to the nation’s legacy.
By: Omri Westmark
Date: 01:24 08.10.24
Last Update: 01:24 08.10.24
Perhaps the greatest Ecuadorian heroine in history, Manuela Sáenz played a vital role in the independence movements of South America. More than Simón Bolívar’s lover, she was his equal in vision and commitment to liberation. Their bond transcended romance, rooted in shared ideals and a mutual fight for freedom. In 1828, Sáenz famously thwarted an assassination attempt on Bolívar, earning her the affectionate moniker “Liberator of the Liberator”.
Her tireless efforts in supporting the revolutionary cause, alongside Simón Bolívar, helped highlight the crucial contributions of women to Latin America’s fight for freedom. It was Sáenz’s defiance of social conventions that left a lasting impact on gender equality, and as such, inspired generations of women throughout the region.
It should then come as no surprise that her image appears in copious monuments, statues and artworks all over the continent, including in her homeland of Ecuador. It is here, in the national capital, that an eye-catching mural stands as a tribute to Sáenz and other illustrious women who fought for equality and justice.
Installed over a tall, unsightly retaining wall at El Trébol, one of Quito’s most hectic intersections, Ideales de la Libertad (Ideals of Freedom) is a large ceramic mural depicting the faces of several female figures who shaped the country’s history during pivotal moments. It was created in 2011 by Ecuadorian artist Enrique Estuardo Álvarez, whose works dot multiple cities all over the world.
Standing out at the center of the mural is Sáenz, with her face comprised of a staggering 3,500 ceramic pieces. Surrounding her are other prominent women like Lorenza Abemañay, an indigenous leader who led resistance movements, and Rosa Montúfar, who played a significant role during the independence period. The various faces are imbued with a modern touch, as if to suggest that the fight for women rights continues even today.
In recent years, the mural underwent a thorough restoration by the Metropolitan Public Company of Mobility and Public Works. This effort included the addition of two new figures: Nela Martínez, a political pioneer and first female deputy of Ecuador, and Matilde Hidalgo, the first Latin American woman to vote in national elections and a trailblazer in both education and medicine.
Though the mural’s gritty surroundings are unpleasant at best, the incessant stream of motorists and passersby makes it among the most visible art installations anywhere in the capital, reminding its many onlookers that the struggle for equality is far from over.
photography by: Omri Westmark
photography by: Omri Westmark
photography by: Omri Westmark
photography by: Omri Westmark
photography by: Omri Westmark
